Pre-Booking Kids Ski School at Whistler
How To Streamline the First Online Reservation
Intrawest, which manages operations at Whistler-Blackcomb has done an outstanding job at listening to parents and has built a first-class kids program. However, planning the first trip can be a nervewracking experience. The trip begins with a visit to Whistler online.
Preparation
There are three skiing locations: Whistler, Blackcomb and Creekside. While they are near to each other it is cumbersome to haul equipment around, so lessons and equipment rental should be based on convenience to lodging. The facilities and skiing quality are similar on all mountains, with one main difference: Kids at Blackcomb and Creekside learn at the base so parents can watch without having to ski, while at Whistler, kids go by gondola up to the midstation. The facilities there are arguably better and there is more snow early and late in the season. However, once the kids have the basics after a few days they are whooshed up to the top and out of sight.
Online Reservations
Kids need three things: Equipment, lift tickets, and ski school passes. The website offers all of these under Rentals and Lessons. Before selection, it is recommended to "Sign in" under the "Vacation Planner" box. Family member profiles are stored for future reference and plans can be saved for editing before payment, which is a huge help because of the complexity of booking equipment and lessons for parents and children. After this is done, start with Equipment Rentals - Kids, and choose Ski/Board and the number of days. The site immediately prompts for skier names to personalize the booking and to speed future transactions. Spending a few minutes building each skier's profile will save time later.
Kids rental equipment is all the same (the package includes skis, boots, poles and helmets) and is straightforward. Helmets are required, and many parents prefer to buy their child a helmet instead of getting a heavily used rental. Kids love applying stickers to their own helmet, and bright helmets are more easily spotted on the slopes. Select the location (note that Blackcomb is "Upper Village") and the appropriate program based on each child's age.
Program Types
There are three types of programs: Private lessons (expensive and not recommended for new skiers), Adventure Camps (same instructor and class for the whole week) and Daily Program (completely flexible, day-to-day.) Kids love being in groups so avoid private lessons until the child is old enough and experienced enough to get value from personal instruction. Adventure Camps create a sense of familiarity and are recommended because the kids are thrust into a remarkably strange environment up there in the snow, unable to walk, with hundreds of kids in the vicinity. If only a few days are available then the Daily Program is perfect. Lessons can be booked with or without lift tickets, because many visitors are regular skiers with multiple trip lift tickets. Note that the website now shows "Blackcomb" instead of "Upper Village" for lessons there.
Once the booking is complete, a credit card takes care of the reservation. Intrawest is extremely flexible with bookings and can generally accomodate most changes as it must occur constantly. A telephone call is best, but they are very responsive to emails.
A separate article on the first ski day is available here.
